WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 November 1924, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

FREEZING INDUSTRY PIONEERS. (Special to “Guardian”.) AA ELLINGTON, November 17. At the annual meeting of shareholders ol the AA ellinglon .Meat Export Company, the chairman, in his tribute to the memory of the late Sir Walter Buchanan, credited the latter with being a pioneer of the freezing industry, and M.r Coleman Phillips of the AVnirarapa who, in his day did a great deal for the industry writes to the “ Evening Rost” as follows“ So much error is being uttered regarding the late •Sir AValter linchanau that your readers must excuse my saying that he was not a pioneer of the meat freezing industry. The original pioneer of the industry was Mr William Muir, of Sydney, in the seventies of last century. About 1881 the pastoralists of the South Island made the first New Zealand shipment. Then in 18!).‘l the pastoralists of the Wellington province loaded up the Lady Jocelyn (.Messrs T. C. AATliains, Reetham Bros, Ridwcll Bros, and many others including myself.) My lot of 7d7 was the first called upon to he sent for freezing from the Dry River. /All we consigners rereceived was (Is per head for the first shipment; hut we all steadily went on, shipping early so as to establish the industry. Sir AA'. C. Ruehaiiati, 1 do not think, shipped a hoot himself until To call him therefore, a pioneer of 1 1ml industry is absurd.” -Air Coleman Phillips is quite correct in hi-* main statements, for the beginnings of (la* industry in Australia, New Zealand and the Argentine are set out in an interesting volume on tlie industry. The honour of taking Hie first steps to test the freezing process belongs to Otago, and the late Mr AA'. .1. Broydone, who took a very prominent part in the initial efforts is generally credited willu being the pioneer of the industry in New Zealand. The Canterbury Frozen Meat Company was the first joint-stock company to he formed to exploit the new industry and that concern is still operating with continued success. The Gear Meat Preserving Company was the first concern to lie funned in the North Island and the second company to he formed in New Zealand. It is believed that one if not two of the employees of the Gear Company have been with that conechn since its inception, and the wonderful success of the Gear Company lias been largely due to the extraordinarily efficient management of Mr AA’. 11. Milward the chairman and managing director of the Company. The late Sir AA'alter Buchanan look an active part in tin' formation of the AYellington Meat Export Company and was its chairman for a number of years. Tt can lie said of the late Sir AA’alter Ruclianan that when he did enter into Ihe industry he did not spare himself, lint went into it thoroughly. AYELLINGTON WOOL SALE.

It is perhaps somewhat unfortunate that for the' opening wool sale of the lit. I-'Jo season there should he so small tiering as (i.Ktl) hales, but this is due to I lie heavy rains of a few days ago and the consequent Hoods and washouts preventing delivery into store. At the November sale last year the catalogues showed I'J.SOII hales, hut lasi year there were many thousands of hales ol old wool lo he marketed which is fortunately mil I lie ease this year. Seen before the sale the elli 0;; brokers were veiy confident I bat values w ill rule al Ibe highest level ol (lie past season if they do mil go above that. Alltel) will depend upon the nnmunl of competition Bradford buyers have to fine. If America routes into the market, and tin’s is very probable, because it is known that tile Americans are in peed of wool, then higher prices nutv la* expected. Continental and .lapauese romp*.*! it ion will he in evidence. Imt broadly sneaking these countries favour merino wools rather (hail i'l'oss-hieils. The inarkel will receive its main support from Bradlord. As one aulhorilv has il there is very little guidance in regard lo the probable ciiiisumptionV but in ibis rnnnecf inn | here is a strong belief in some quarter! < Dial the gel mil consumption nf (iin* combing wools is hound to read to the high cost of the raw material. CITY DEBENTURES. The .ALiver of AYolinglon is n.olurnlIv very pleased at 1 hr* success of the issue of debentures in London, through the Unii.ii Ranh. The debentures are issued al C'dX and carry 1 per coni interest. The issue was not underwritten from which it is sale to assume thal the Union Rank placed the debentures among its clients and friends in London. However, the issue is a success and Unit is the most important, thing. The exchange will mean about -2 cent so that Hie City will get cor, for overv Cl<>o debenture. The borrowing of local bodies is beginning lo cause alarm among business men. T„ the last “Gazette” local bodies named have secured power to borrow over Cl 000,000 and of this amount Dunedin' accounts for 071.1.000 and Palmerston North CIS 1.000. Ha* latte* however, is for conversion purposes.